St. Michael

St. Michael is a former tugboat, now a wreck, located at Zonqor Point in Marsaskala, on the southeastern coast of Malta. Purposefully scuttled in May 1998 alongside another tugboat, Number 10, to create an artificial reef and scuba diving site, St. Michael lies upright on a flat sandy bottom at a depth of 22 m, with the uppermost part at around 17 m. The wreck is approximately 15 m from the reef and is partially covered with sponges and corals, providing a habitat for a variety of marine life. The site is accessible for divers of all levels and is sheltered from the north-westerly winds, making it a popular dive site during the summer months.

St. Michael was built in 1944 in Trenton, Ontario, Canada and served the Royal Navy during the Second World War. After the war, it worked for many years in Malta towing numerous ships in and around Grand Harbour of Valletta. The tugboat was later bought by a local Maltese shipyard and donated to the diving community to be scuttled as an artificial reef. The wreck is now a popular dive site, offering excellent opportunities to practice wreck dives at medium depths. The location is suitable for PADI OWD or equivalent, making it one of the few shallower wreck dives in Malta.